Burial-case.



PATENTED JULY 26; 19-04.

P. D. SKAHEN. BURIAL CASE.

2 SHBETS-SHEET-L APPLICATION FILED APR. 6, 1904.

H0 MODEL.

' PATENTED JULY 26, 1904.

P. D. SKAHEN.

BURIAL CASE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 6, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

Patented July 26, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

PATRICK D. SKAI-IEN, OF SYRACUSE, NEWV YORK.

BURlAL-CASE.

SPEUIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 766,000, dated July 26,1904,

Application filed April 6, 190x Serial No. 201,806- (No model.) -T m a 1b T n all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, PATRICK D. SKAHEN, of Syracuse, in the county ofOnondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Burial-Cases, of which the following, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

This invention resides in an improved construction of a burial-casewhich is designed to be used either as a casket or a rough box forinclosing a casket.

The invention has special reference to the class of burial-cases whichhave their walls, bottom, and lid composed of separate sheetmetalplates.

The objects of the present invention are to produce a knockdownburial-case of the aforesaid character in which the component parts canbe quickly and easily assembled in the process of construction, and thuscheap'en the cost of manufacture, and at the same time produce astructure which shall possess great strength, rigidity, and durabilityand shall also present a neat appearance. These objects I attain in asimple and eflicient manner of uniting the side walls and end walls andthe bottom of said walls by the employment of vertically-groovedcorner-posts in which the vertical edges of the walls are keyed andfirmly anchored; and the invention consistsin the novel details ofconstruction, as hereinafter fully described, and set forth in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a burial-caseembodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is an enlarged bottom plan view of anend portion of the burialcase. Fig. 3 is-an enlarged transverse sectionof a portion of the burial-case, taken on line X X in Fig. 1. Fig. 4: isa further en larged perspective view of a portion of the corner-postinverted and showing more clearly the attachment of the walls thereto.Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section of the case. Fig. 6 is anenlarged horizontal section of one corner of the case, taken on line Y Yin Fig. l; and Fig. 7 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken onthe line Z Z in Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

a a represent the side walls, and b b the end walls, of the burial-case,which walls are composed of separately-formed sheet-metal plates. v

c 0 denote posts which are disposed at the corners of the case and arepreferably composed of cast metal and are provided with enlarged endportions, as indicated at 0 0. These posts may be of any suitable formand style and are formed in their inner faces, near the top and bottomthereof, with pairs of grooves (Z (Z, which are disposed vertically andare open in directions at right angles to each other. Said posts 0 c arealso formed intermediate their ends with grooves (Z (Z,

arranged in pairs and in line with the afore said grooves (Z (Z, as moreclearly shown in Fig. & of the drawings.

g 9 denote steps which are formed on the end faces of the posts 0 0 andare provided with two edges disposed at right angles to each other, asindicated at g g, and partly surrounding each of the lower steps is acurved rim it, formed on the postfor the purpose hereinafter explained.

The side walls a a and end walls Z) Z) have their vertical edges bentinwardly at right angles to form flangesc' c', which are inserted intothe aforesaid grooves (Z (Z d cZ in the posts and which bear against therear walls of the grooves. The inner side walls of the said grooves areformed with vertical ribs 6 e, producing contracted side entrances Z0 kbetween said Walls and the opposite side walls of the grooves, whichentrances are of sufficient width to admit the said flanges 2' 2'. Theseribs 6 e constitute shoulders for the keys Z Z, which are inserted intothe grooves, as clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 6 of the drawings. Saidkeys consist of metal bars formed, preferably, square or rectangular incross-section and which are driven endwise into the said grooves (Z (Z(Z d of the posts and caused to engage the flanges i 27 of the walls andthe oppositelydisposed ribs 6 e of the grooves, and thereby firmlyanchor the flanges therein to lock the walls to the said posts.

The longitudinal edges of the side walls a a and one of the end wallsare bent outwardly to form ledges m, m, which terminate withinwardly-folded flanges a 01, thereby producing inwardly-openingchannels 0 0 between said ledges and flanges. he ends of said ledges m92? extend beyond the aforesaid flanges a 2' of the walls and bear onthe ends of the posts 0 c and abut againstthe edges of the aforesaidsteps r g and are substantially in a plane with the latter, as clearlyillustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings. The lower edge of the end wall 6is also formed with an outwardlyprojecting ledge m m, which terminateswith an inwardly-folded flange a, bearing on the lower end faces of theposts. The upper edge of said latter wall has its outwardly-projectingledge m terminating with a downwardly and inwardly folded flange n,bearing on the top faces of the adjacent posts. This flange is bent inthe manner described for the purpose of allowing the lid 7' to beapplied to the case, as hereinafter explained.

p denotes the bottom of the case and which is composed of sheet metal.Said bottom is inserted with its marginal portions into the lowerchannels 0 0 of the walls and has its corner portions rounded andbearing on the aforesaid steps g g and abutting against the curved rimsor guards I: it, which are flush with the lower face of said cornerportions.

In assembling the said parts I first unite the two side walls a a andthe end wall 5 to two of the corner-posts 0 0 in the manner describedand then apply the bottom 1) by inserting the same endwise into lowerchannels of the side walls and sliding it forwardly suflicient to causethe front edge thereof to enter the lower channel of said end wall andat the same time cause its rounded corners to abut against the aforesaidcurved rims on the end faces of the posts, and then drive the said keysendwise into the grooves in said posts to firmly anchor the flanges insaid grooves. The other corner-posts c 0 are then keyed to thecorresponding end wall, and these posts are firmly united to thevertical flanges at the rear of the side walls in like manner, wherebythe rear edge of the bottom is caused to enter the lower channel of thelatter end wall and its rounded corner portions made to abut against thecurved rims on the lower faces of the said posts in the manneraforesaid. These rims constitute guards which serve to protect thecorner portions of the bottom.

The lid 7', which is also composed of sheet metal, may be of anysuitable form and design. Said lid is applied by inserting the same withits marginal portions lengthwise into the upper channels 0 0 of the sidewalls a a, whereby its forward end is caused to enter the upper channelof the corresponding end wall, and its rounded corner portions arecaused to lie upon the top steps of the front posts.

I prefer to dispense with the curved rims or guards on the upper endfaces of the posts and make the lid sufficiently long to lie with itsrounded corner portions contiguous to the curved edges of the posts. Ialso prefer to fold the rear edge of the lid upon itself to strengthenthe same, as indicated at T. It will be understood that the bottomflanges na of the walls are to be firmly clenched onto the marginalportions of the bottom 1). Any suitable means may be employed forlocking the said lid in its closed position on the case, and, ifdesired, the top flanges of the Walls may be clenched onto the lid.

6 6 represent additional posts, which I prefer to employ and which areformed of cast metal and are secured to the outer faces of the sidewalls a a by means of rivets 6" If, as more clearly shown in Figs. 1 and6 of the drawings. These posts serve to stiffen the said side walls, andthus add strength and rigidity to the burial-case, and they are formedwith enlarged end portions, as indicated at a a, which abut against theaforesaid ledges m m of said walls and brace the same.

It is obvious that a separate key may be used at each of the groovedportions (Z d for fastening the walls to the cornerposts. I prefer,however, to employ keys of suflicient lengths to extend through both theupper and lower grooves (Z (Z and through the intermediate grooves (Z(Z, so as to cause said keys to bear on the inner sides of the wallsfrom top to bottom thereof and effectually brace said walls and pressthem outward onto the edges of the posts, so as to closely fit themthereto.

hat I claim as my invention is- 1. In a knockdown burial-case, thecombination of the end walls and side walls composed of separatesheet-metal plates and formed at their vertical edges withinwardlyprojecting flanges, corner-posts formed with vertical grooveshaving contracted side entrances and receiving the flanged portions ofsaid walls, and keys inserted endwise in said grooves and engaging saidflanges and contracted portions of the grooves and firmly locking thewalls in said grooves as set forth.

2. A burial-case comprising sheet-metal side walls and end walls formedat their vertical edges with flanges, corner-posts formed with verticalgrooves receiving said flanges and each groove provided with a verticalrib on one of its sides, and keys inserted in said grooves and engagingsaid flanges and ribs and locking the walls to the posts as set forthand shown.

3. In a burial-case, the combination of corner-posts formed. withvertical grooves, the side walls and end walls formed at their verticaledges with flanges entering said grooves and at their lower longitudinaledges with outwardly-projecting ledges bearing on the ends of the posts,keys inserted in said grooves and locking the flanges therein, and thebottom secured to the lower ledges of the walls as set forth and shown.

a. In a burial-case, the combination of corner-posts, each formed at itstop and bottom with a pair of vertical grooves and at its intermediateportion with a pair of grooves disposed in line with the end grooves,the side walls and end walls formed at their vertical edges with flangesentering said grooves, and keys inserted in said grooves and engagingsaid flanges to lock the walls to said posts as set forth and shown.

5. In a burial-case, the combination of metallic corner posts formedwith vertical grooves, sheet-metal side walls and end walls formed withflanges entering said grooves, keys inserted in said grooves and lockingthe flanges therein, the longitudinal edges of the walls formed withoutwardly projecting ledges bearing on the ends of the posts andterminating with inwardly-folded flanges producing channels, and thebottom and lid inserted in said channels as set forth and shown.

6. In a burial-case, the combination of corner-posts formed withvertical grooves in the inner sides and with steps projecting from theend faces of the posts, the walls formed with vertical flanges locked insaid grooves and at their longitudinal edges with outwardly-projectingledges bearing on the ends of the posts and abutting against said stepsand in a plane therewith and terminating with inwardlyfolded flangesproducing channels, and the lid and bottom inserted in the upper andlower channels respectively as set forth and shown.

7. In a burial-case, the combination of corner-posts formed in the innersides with vertical grooves, and with steps projecting from their endfaces and rims or guards partly surrounding the lower steps, sheet-metalside and end walls formed at their vertical edges with inwardlyprojecting flanges entering said grooves, keys inserted in said groovesand locking the said flanges therein, the longitudinal edges of thewalls formed with outwardlyprojecting ledges bearing on the end faces ofthe posts and abutting against the aforesaid steps and terminating withinwardly-folded flanges producing inwardly-open channels, the lidremovably inserted in the upper channels, and the bottom inserted in thelower channels and having its corner portions abutting against the saidrims or guards as set forth and shown.

8. In a burial-case, the combination of corner-posts formed withenlarged end portions and provided in their inner sides with verticalgrooves, the side walls and end walls formed at their vertical edgeswith inwardlyprojecting flanges entering said grooves, keys inserted insaid grooves and locking the flanges therein, the longitudinal edges ofthe walls formed with outwardly-projecting ledges extending beyond saidflanges and bearing on the end faces of the posts, said ledgesterminating with inwardly-folded flanges producing channels, the bottominserted in the lower channels and locked permanently therein, and thelid seated removably in the upper channels as set forth and shown.

PATRICK D. SK AHEN.

Witnesses:

J. J. LAASS, F. Z. KENT.

